The University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives (UWCC) was awarded $127,000 by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to boost cooperative development throughout the state of Wisconsin. The funding will allow UWCC to expand technical assistance for start-ups, conversions, and existing co-ops, and address one of Wisconsin’s pressing concerns: retiring business owners without succession plans.  “Like […]

Professor Melissa Kono, a municipal clerk specialist in the Local Government Education program, was named the 2026 recipient of the Wisconsin Idea Teaching Award. Kono was honored for her work to exemplify the guiding philosophy of UW–Madison’s outreach efforts to extend the borders of the university. Kono meets her students where they are — literally. […]

In an era of increased political polarization, innovative approaches to bringing diverse voices together may offer ways for communities to rebuild trust and increase civic dialogue.  Polarization has far-reaching consequences. As Americans increasingly distrust those with different political views, polarization can erode trust, narrow social connections, and discourage everyday civic conversation. Public meetings can become […]

As the New Glarus Village Administrator, Kelsey Jenson is thinking about AI and how it affects her work. “AI is here and continuing to grow, whether we like that or not. I think it’s imperative for local government officials to know how AI is already being used in our work,” she said.  For public entities […]

OneOp, a professional development resource for military family service providers, recently won multiple awards from the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences.  Jessica Beckendorf, a Community Economic Development Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, contributed to these award-winning efforts through her work on the 2024 Military Family Readiness Academy, an […]

Design Wisconsin, a community visioning program, was named the 2025 Outstanding Program by the International Community Development Society. A program of the UW-Madison Division of Extension’s Community Economic Development Program, Design Wisconsin was recognized for exemplifying best practices in community development and empowering communities through the approach it brings to the community visioning process.  Design […]